Kent W. Staley is Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University. He is the author of 'The Evidence for the Top Quark: Objectivity and Bias in Collaborative Experimentation' (Cambridge, 2004).

• List of figures; List of tables; Preface: philosophy of science for philosophers, scientists, and everyone else; Acknowledgments; List of abbreviations; Part I. Background and Basic Concepts: 1. Some problems of induction; 2. Falsificationism: science without induction?; 3. Underdetermination; 4. Logical empiricism; 5. Post-positivist views on scientific progress and rationality; Interlude. Robert Boyle's experiments with the air-pump; 6. Relativism and social constructionism;  Part II. Ongoing Investigations: 7. Scientific models and representation; 8. Reasoning with probability: Bayesianism; 9. Reasoning with probability: frequentism; 10. Realism and anti-realism; 11. Explanation; 12. Values in science and science in policy-making; 13. Feminist philosophies of science; References; Index.

'This is a fine introductory text. It incorporates recent advances in philosophical research on scientific methodology, and Staley's engaging and easy-to-read style makes it an excellent work for beginning philosophy of science students.' Joseph Pitt, Virginia College of Technology